SFCV Presents: The Virtual Greenroom With Rhiannon Giddens and Michael Abels

On Oct. 26, 2022, Rhiannon Giddens and Michael Abels joined music journalist Victoria Looseleaf to talk about their new opera, Omar.

The work is based on a slave narrative acquired in 2019 by the Library of Congress and published online. The composers discussed their journey as they tried to peel back layers of time to imagine the reality of the narrative’s author, Omar ibn Said, a Muslim scholar adjusting to life in slavery in a new land.

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The Virtual Greenroom is your behind-the-scenes passport to major events and stars. Meet the creative talents who renew the arts, as they share their insights, ideas, and stories about making the exciting music of our time.

In some cases, these videos are locked and only available after making a donation. We hope you enjoy them!

October 12, 2023

On Oct. 5, 2023, cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason joined music writer Lev Mamuya via Zoom in SFCV’s interview series.

April 5, 2023

On March 29, 2023, baritone Will Liverman joined music journalist Steven Winn via Zoom in SFCV’s interview series.

September 19, 2022

On Sept. 14, 2022, John Adams and Elkhanah Pulitzer joined music journalist Steven Winn to talk about Adams’s new opera, Antony and Cleopatra.

January 29, 2021

On Oct. 14, 2020, tabla maestro Zakir Hussain joined music journalist Andrew Gilbert via Zoom to discuss his pioneering cross-cultural collaborations. 

January 28, 2021

On Jan. 8, 2021, classical singer Julia Bullock joined music journalist Steven Winn via Zoom in SFCV's interview series.